Department for Transport

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Boats

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many vessels by (1) size, and (2) type, are operated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Maritime and Coastguard operates one tug, the IVEOLI BLACK, which is 70 metres in length at 2,283 gross tonnage. In addition, they have two training vessels, the MCA HUNTER at 14 metres and the MCA HAWK at 9.75 metres.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Baroness Rawlings: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the vehicle emissions produced by ministers travelling short distances in Range Rovers; and what plans they have to reduce such emissions by reducing the number of (1) short car journeys taken by ministers, and (2) Range Rovers used by ministers.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Range Rover Cars on the Government Car Service (GCS) fleet are plug in hybrid electric vehicles.(1) Short car journeys taken by ministers will be on electric power only with zero emissions.(2) These same Range Rover Cars were classified as Ultra Low Emission Vehicles at time of procurement in 2018. The GCS is continually reviewing fit for purpose vehicles for Ministerial use, and with support from the Department for Transport to meet emission targets for government fleets, the GCS will be replacing cars as they become due for renewal with a continuing focus on replacement vehicles being more environmentally friendly and where possible, using fully electric alternatives.

Railways: Cambridgeshire

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to improve the single track section of railway line between Soham and Ely; and what assessment they have made of the effect on trade of that single track line.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The ‘Soham Area Capacity Enhancement’ scheme is at an early stage of development. Addressing this pinch-point will be a key enabler for growing the number of freight trains on the nationally important corridor from Felixstowe to the Midlands and North and will support the nation’s capacity for growing international trade in a sustainable way.

Hammersmith Bridge

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 12 July (HL1445), what assessment they have made of the social and economic value of Hammersmith Bridge beyond the boundaries of the local authorities it connects; and what plans they have to review whether such strategic assets of wide economic value are best owned by local authorities.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As highlighted in my Written Answer on 12 July (HL1445), Hammersmith Bridge is owned by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) and therefore the Department for Transport has not undertaken any assessments of the social or economic value of the closure of the bridge or its impact on other local authorities. Analyses of the impact of the closure of the bridge will be required as part of the submission of a satisfactory business case by LBHF. The submission of such a case is a condition for the release of any Government contribution to the cost of repairing the bridge, as agreed in the Transport for London extraordinary funding and finance agreement of 1 June 2021. Under the current system of local government finance, local authorities are free to determine their own capital strategies to deliver local services, on the principle that they are best placed to make the decisions needed to support their local communities and to ensure local accountability. Following the Government’s investment of £4 million toward emergency mitigation works, the Board responsible for the Case for Continued Safe Operation made the decision to reopen Hammersmith Bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic on 17 July. This is a very welcome development, especially for the people and businesses that use the Bridge.

Department for Education

Physical Education: Teachers

Baroness Morris of Yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what their Initial Teacher Training recruitment targets were for secondary physical education in each of the last five years; and what the actual recruitment level was in each of those years.

Baroness Morris of Yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of individuals employed by private providers to teach physical education in primary schools in each of the last five years; and how many of these individuals hold a qualification in physical education.

Baroness Morris of Yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of secondary school physical education classes taught by a person without a physical education qualification in each of the last five academic years.

Baroness Morris of Yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the minimum qualification or requirement for a person to teach physical education to (1) primary students, (2) secondary students, and (3) post-16 students.

Baroness Berridge: The table below shows the number of new postgraduate trainee teachers recruited compared to the corresponding Teacher Supply Model (TSM) target in each of the last five years for physical education (PE).Academic Year12016/172017/182018/192019/202020/21TSM target9999991,0781,2221,200Postgraduate new entrants21,0871,1031,2421,2811,615Percentage of TSM target reached109%110%115%105%135%Source: Department for Education initial teacher training (ITT) Census statistical publications Footnote:Refers to the ITT Census year.Figures for 2020/21 are provisional and are subject to change.Information for the number of individuals employed by private providers to teach PE in primary schools is not available as data is only collected from a sample of state-funded secondary schools with electronic timetabling.The number and proportion of hours of PE taught by a teacher without a relevant post-A level qualification, in state funded secondary schools, in each of the last five years for which data are available, is provided in the table attached. A relevant post-A level qualification is a level 4 qualification or above in PE, sports science, sports physiology, sports psychology, or dance (including ballet).Data for 2020 is not available because, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, schools and local authorities were not required to provide information on teacher qualifications during the November 2020 school workforce census.Data for 2019 is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2019.All entrants to teaching must hold a first degree from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification. Legislation does not specify that teachers must have a degree in a particular subject of discipline. There is no specific qualification required for physical education.In further education, there is no minimum qualification requirement for anyone employed to teach PE or any specific sport or activity. It is for employers to determine the best qualifications and experience required to meet the needs of their pupils. A number of organisations have developed specific qualifications that provide an individual with recognition that they can coach or teach an activity safely.HL2034/35/36/37 table attachment (xlsx, 13.6KB)

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Heating

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the Heat and Buildings Strategy 2021.

Lord Callanan: The Government is planning to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course. The strategy will set out the immediate actions we will take for reducing emissions from buildings, as well as our approach to the key strategic decisions needed to achieve a mass transition to low-carbon heat.

Energy Charter

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the EU about leaving the Energy Charter Treaty.

Lord Callanan: The Government has had no discussions with the EU on leaving the Energy Charter Treaty.

Energy Charter

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of attempts toreform the Energy Charter Treaty to remove any barriers to phasing out carbon fuels.

Lord Callanan: The UK supports the process to modernise the Energy Charter Treaty in a way that helps the global clean energy transition, such as the right for States to regulate to reach emissions reduction targets and a stronger focus on climate security issues. We are currently in discussions with Treaty partners over proposals to phase out investment protection for fossil fuels.

Cabinet Office

Common Frameworks

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Common Frameworks scrutiny process; and what is the expected date for completion of the (1) examination, and (2) final publication, of all Frameworks.

Lord True: Parliamentary scrutiny is a key stage in the delivery of a Common Framework; Government officials remain in regular contact with relevant Parliamentary committees about this matter. The Government anticipates that frameworks will be made available for Parliamentary scrutiny in the Autumn and that the Devolved Administrations will follow a broadly similar timetable. The Government and the Devolved Administrations are committed to delivering Common Frameworks by the end of 2021. Following this, Common Frameworks will be kept under periodic review.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the Common Frameworks programme, what plans they have to support measures on reporting policy divergence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland through the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for further discussions withthe Northern Ireland Executive regarding the need to complete their scrutiny of the outstanding Common Frameworks.

Lord Frost: The majority of Common Frameworks intersect with the policy areas covered in Northern Ireland Protocol. Common Frameworks contain the governance structures needed to manage divergence arising as a consequence of new or amended EU law applied through the Protocol. Reporting on any divergence arising from the Protocol will be a matter for the relevant Common Framework-owning departments and their Devolved Administration counterparts to consider.The Northern Ireland Executive has provided provisional confirmation for 21 Common Frameworks. Of the remaining 32 active areas in which a Common Framework is required, 28 Common Frameworks have now been provisionally confirmed and one has been fully implemented. Once sufficiently progressed, the Northern Ireland Executive will be sharing their Frameworks with the Northern Ireland Assembly to allow for Parliamentary Scrutiny in the same way colleagues across the UK Government will be sharing the provisionally confirmed Frameworks with the UK Parliament.

Lord Wilson of Rievaulx

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the results of the inquiry by Lord Hunt of Tanworth in 1996 into allegations of a security service plot against Harold Wilson.

Lord True: Official papers relating to allegations of a security service plot against Harold Wilson are retained by the Cabinet Office. Retained papers are reviewed regularly to decide whether they can be released.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Free Zones

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they aretaking to provide more clarity surrounding freeports and how they will be (1) operated, and (2) governed.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Freeport model will provide a wide package of tax reliefs and simplified customs procedures. HMT and HMRC are working with Freeports to review and confirm the boundaries of their proposed tax sites, prior to approval and commencement of tax measures. Operators of customs sites will need to obtain authorisation for their customs sites and will be responsible for ensuring goods on site follow the correct customs processes. The Government is actively working with the Freeports to support delivery of the policy and subject to confirming their governance arrangements and business case approval, the first are planned to open for business in late 2021.Each Freeport was asked to set out in the bid proposals their preferred governance structure. The Government is open to any degree of formality and legal structure providing the proposals meet the criteria and core standards on governance set out in the Bidding Prospectus. The Government is assessing the proposals and will work with the Freeports to ensure that governance is robust. The relevant public body (Local Authority or Authorities or Mayoral Combined Authority) of the Freeport Governance Body will be accountable to MHCLG for the expenditure and management of public money.The Freeport Governance Body will be responsible for the effective delivery of the Freeport according to the economic strategy determined through the bidding process and the Freeport Governance Body will work with Government to ensure the Freeport stays aligned with national policy and delivers on its monitoring and evaluation commitments.Business cases from each Freeport will give further information on how their proposals will be delivered. The business cases will need to be approved by Government before seed funding can be released and they become operational.

District Councils: Liverpool

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Liverpool City Council: Best Value inspection report by Max Caller CBE, published on 24 March, which recommended that single-member district council wards be implemented in Liverpool for 2023, whether they intend to proceed with the district council elections in that city in 2022 with the existing ward arrangements.

Lord Greenhalgh: On 10 June, the Secretary of State announced via a Written Ministerial Statement his intention to make an Order using his powers in the Local Government Act 2000 providing for whole council elections from 2023. He confirmed that the Order would postpone for one year the May 2022 elections of one third of Liverpool City Councillors and their extend terms of office accordingly. The announcement can be viewed (attached) here:https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-06-10/hcws84In this announcement, the Secretary of State also clarified that he had directed the Council to consider and consult upon a new submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE), as part of the current boundary review, to include consideration of a proposal to reduce the number of Councillors to those consistent with elections on the basis of predominantly single member wards; that is single member wards across the whole Council area save where the LGBCE consider a multi member ward is essential to balance their statutory duties of delivering electoral equality, reflecting interests and identities of local communities, and of promoting effective and convenient local government. The new warding arrangements following the boundary review will be in place ahead of the 2023 elections. Written Statement (pdf, 104.3KB)

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Females

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) median, and (2) mean, length of stay in days for sentenced prisoners at each women's prison for each of the last 10 years.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) median, and (2) mean, length of stay in days for remanded prisoners at each women’s prison for each of the last 10 years.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what wathe (1) median, and (2) mean, length of stay in days for prisoners at each women’s prison who have been (a) remanded pre-trial, and (b) remanded pre- sentence, for each of the last 10 years.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Table 1 shows the total number of prisoner releases, and mean and median time spent in all female prisons for those released between 2011 and 2020, broken down by year and releasing prison establishment. Table 2 shows the total number of sentenced prisoner receptions, and mean and median time spent on remand in all female prisons for those received into prison between 2011 to 2020, broken down by year and reception prison establishment. Table 3 shows the total number of convicted unsentenced prisoner receptions and mean and median time spent on pre-trial remand in all female prisons for those received into prison between 2011 to 2020, broken down by year and reception prison establishment. Table 4 shows the total number of sentenced prisoner receptions, and mean and median time spent on convicted unsentenced remand in all female prisons for those received into prison between 2011 to 2020, broken down by year and reception prison establishment.Tables 1-4 (pdf, 372.1KB)

Prisons: Coronavirus

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received about the level of vaccination required for (1) prisoners, and (2) prison officers, in order to prevent future outbreaks of COVID-19 in prisons.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Public Health England advice is that we should aim for the highest possible level of vaccination coverage, and higher coverage will help limit outbreaks. Even with a fully vaccinated population, however, smaller outbreaks could occur, because the vaccine does not offer complete protection. The risk of outbreaks is also influenced by other factors including the local demographics, previous exposure, and community prevalence. HMPPS strongly encourages all staff and prisoners to have the COVID-19 vaccine. We ask employees to let us know when they have had each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by recording their vaccine status on our HR system. As the disclosure of their vaccine status is entirely voluntary, it means the self-declaration rates presented below will be lower than the actual number of staff who have been vaccinated.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Cuba: USA

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with thegovernment of the United States of America following (1) the concerns that government have expressed about the Cuban leadership’s “calls to combat”, and (2) the US President's statement that he stands with the Cuban people.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK and US regularly discuss our perspectives on Latin America, including Cuba. We agree with the US that the protestors' concerns need to be heard, and their right to protest peacefully needs to respected. Like the US, we have been clear in calling for calm and restraint. We will continue to discuss Cuba with the US and other partners, including our opposition to the US embargo, which we consider to be counterproductive.

Sahel: Peacekeeping Operations

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the decision by the government of France to withdraw more than 2000 troops from the Sahel on the advancement of Jihadist activities in (1) Mali, (2) the wider Sahelian region, and (3) Nigeria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is in contact with our French partners on their planned changes to operations in the Sahel. We have had assurances that France will retain the critical support functions such as force protection, medical and logistical support, which allow the UK to effectively contribute to operations in the Sahel. We are building peace and stability in the Sahel, Nigeria and wider Lake Chad Basin. Our humanitarian assistance is supporting those most affected by conflict in the region.

Palestinians: Education

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take toprotect the education of Palestinian children in areas occupied and controlled by Israel.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Access to a quality education for all, especially girls, remains a key priority for the UK Government. It is essential to have a strong and thriving Palestinian education system to provide opportunities for the next generation. UK education funding to the Palestinian Authority has contributed to the salaries of carefully vetted teachers and education workers. Our continued support to UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) will also help provide basic education to over 533,000 children a year (half of whom are girls).

Tigray: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the reported military cooperation between the governments of Russia and Ethiopia; and in particular, the impact of any such military cooperation on the situation in Tigray.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has consistently urged for an end to the conflict in Tigray. There can be no military solution. We continue to urge all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. We would not normally comment on defence cooperation between two sovereign states.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have with the government of Portugal regarding the recognition of proof of vaccine status against COVID-19 issued by the NHS in (1) Northern Ireland, (2) England, (3) Scotland, and (4) Wales.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are working closely with Portuguese partners, including through the British Embassy in Lisbon, to ensure all travel restrictions are communicated to UK nationals, including on the recognition of vaccine status. As of 28 June 2021, travellers from the UK to Portugal who are fully vaccinated with a vaccine authorised by the European Medicines Agency do not need to quarantine upon arrival. We are working with the Portuguese to confirm how UK travellers demonstrate vaccine status. The Autonomous Region of Madeira accepts the proofs of vaccination status issued for residents in the UK who were vaccinated under the UK's domestic programme. Full information is available on our FCDO Travel Advice pages, which we update regularly.

Cuba: Democracy and Human Rights

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the promotion of democracy and human rights in Cuba.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK government regularly raises these important issues with the Cuban Government. On 12 July, the UK was one of the first countries to publicly reaffirm the Cuban people's right to peaceful protest. Officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office spoke to the Cuban Ambassador on the same day, urging respect for fundamental human rights. On 14 July, the British Ambassador in Havana met with officials in the Cuban Government, and urged them to uphold freedom of expression in Cuba.

Nnamdi Kanu

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Nigeria about thealleged extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra movement; and what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure he is (1) protected from torture, and (2) released.

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how and where Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra movement, was arrested.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are seeking clarification from the Nigerian government about the circumstances of the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu. The UK has requested consular access to Mr Kanu from the Nigerian government, and we stand ready to provide consular assistance.

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of people in Afghanistan who are not Muslim; and what plans they have, if any, to offer such individuals asylum.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: British Embassy officials in Kabul regularly meet with representatives from religious minority groups to hear their concerns. We continue to stress that the human rights of all Afghans should be protected. We also continue to make public condemnations about targeted killings and violence against minorities, calling for transparent investigations. The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities around the world. Only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will bring sustainable peace to Afghanistan. We continue to make clear to all sides that any political settlement must protect the progress made in the country, including protection for women and minority groups.The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety.

Mohammed Hassan

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel regarding the circumstances of the death of Mohammed Hassan in the village of Qusra in the West Bank in July; and in particular, thereports that (1) the Israeli army denied medical professionals access to Mr Hassan, and (2) Israeli authorities refused to release his body to his family.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of the Israel security force's adherence to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest. We regularly raise the issue of the high numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israel Defense Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations into whether the use of live fire had been appropriate. The wounded or critically ill should be able to access the urgent medical care they need. We urge all sides to treat the dead with respect and return any bodies they are holding.

Myanmar: Doctors and Students

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that (1) doctors, and (2) medical students, in Myanmar have been arbitrarily detained; and what steps they are taking (a) to support any such individuals who are seeking asylum in the UK, and (b) to process any such asylum applications.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by the appalling violence inflicted on the people of Myanmar by the Security Forces, and the arbitrary detention of civilians, including healthcare workers. With our G7 partners on 5 May, we called on the military junta to respect the safety of medical facilities and staff and to release all those arbitrarily detained.Myanmar nationals who are currently in the UK can access the UK's strong immigration package according to their personal circumstances. Where there are compelling compassionate factors, individuals can apply for Leave Outside the Immigration Rules. While asylum claims cannot be made from abroad, all asylum claims made in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis on their individual merits.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Israel Defence Forces have used Ruger semi-automatic rifles against Palestinian protestors in the West Bank.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of these reports. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. We urge restraint in the use of live fire.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the destruction by the Israeli army of the Jenin Al-Tafawk children’s centre.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK opposes Israel's demolitions of Palestinian schools and we continue to urge Israel to cease such policies. The Foreign Secretary raised ongoing evictions, demolitions and settlement activity with the Israeli Authorities during his visit to the region on 26 May. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

Palestinians: Females

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatmentof Palestinian girls under Israeli interrogation and imprisonment.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children. The UK continues to engage with the Israeli Government on human rights issues in the context of the occupation and continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Disclosure of Information

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all of the secret documents that were left at a bus stop in Kent on 27 June have been recovered.

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any (1) non-secret, or (2) strategy, documents are missing from the Ministry of Defence documents found at a bus stop in Kent on 27 June.

Baroness Goldie: As stated in the Written Statement HLWS 186 which was released to the House on Friday 16 July 2021, the Department will be making no further comment on the nature of the loss.The loss of secret documents update (docx, 15.3KB)

Department for Work and Pensions

Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to produce guidance for employers, to accompany the lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions on 19 July, about the health and safety of employees who are immunocompromised or immunosuppressed and therefore not protected by the COVID-19 vaccine.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Throughout the pandemic, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has encouraged businesses to manage risks in order to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in workplaces through the provision of detailed guidance. HSE published updated guidance on 19 July - Keeping workplaces safe as coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions are removed (which can be found at https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/roadmap-further-guidance.htm) - to reflect changes as a result of the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England. HSE does not consider vaccination of employees to be a workplace control. Businesses must control the risks and review and update their risk assessment to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 by providing adequate ventilation, regular cleaning and frequent handwashing. Businesses can also continue to reduce the risk of transmission during the pandemic by taking measures to limit the number of people their workers are in contact with, and UK government guidance on working safely (which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19) provides further information and advice on these measures covering a range of different types of work. Employers’ health and safety responsibilities include taking reasonable steps to protect all workers and others from the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in connection with their work activities. As these control measures apply to all workers, regardless of their relative levels of vulnerability or the potential outcome, there are no expectations of additional control measures for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) workers or the need for individual risk assessments.HSE advises employers to have individual discussions with their CEV employees about any workplace concerns and understand what is in place to protect them. There is specific guidance on the HSE website to support employers to do this https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/protect-people.htm

Employment Schemes: Internet

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that jobseekers being supported through Department for Work and Pensions programmes have been referred to websites that advise them to state in job interviews that climate change may not exist; and what steps they plan to take as a result.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: This was content provided by a third party supplier and was designed to help individuals understand that they can acknowledge different points of view when answering questions. The choice of “global warming” as an example subject was not appropriate and the content has been removed.

Job Security: Ethnic Groups

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to reduce the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in insecure work.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Government is committed to supporting people from all backgrounds, including those from ethnic minorities, to move and stay in work. Our Plan for Jobs Programme protects, supports and creates jobs, targeting young people, the long term unemployed, and those in need of new training and skills. As the economy improves, we will increasingly focus on progression to improve opportunities for those in low-paid work and support them towards financial independence. The In-Work Progression Commission published an independent Call for Action (see attached) to help people progress out of low pay on the 1 July. Government will consider the recommendations and respond later in the year. We also continue to develop the evidence base for helping people progress their careers and raise their earnings. Building on the findings of our In-Work Progression Randomised Controlled Trial, published in 2018 we are conducting research and working across Government to support progression. We are also testing a work coach led support offer to develop new approaches to progression for Universal Credit claimants.Attachment 1 (pdf, 1784.6KB)

Disability Living Allowance

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid in compensation to beneficiaries of Disability Living Allowance because of financial abuse by their appointees, for the latest year for which figures are available.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Where an allegation of financial abuse is confirmed, that is, that the DLA received by the appointee has not been used in the best interests of the claimant, the appointment is revoked. However, compensation is not paid.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Department for Work and Pensions has to contact all disability claimants who were appealing their decisions and were persuaded to accept a lower offer, to inform them of their right to continue with their appeal.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: In a previous response HL2130, it was explained that all claimants who accepted the new decision and whose original appeal lapsed, were told that they had the right of appeal against the new decision. They were told this both by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Tribunals Service. This gave them the opportunity to have the revised award further increased and backdated. Accordingly, there are no plans to contact affected claimants.

Kickstart Scheme

Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many jobs facilitated by the Kickstart Scheme have (1) been approved, (2) been advertised, and (3) started, in each region of Great Britain.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: As of the 22nd July, 50,000 young people have started Kickstart jobs. As of the 21st of July, over 155,000 jobs have been made available for young people to apply for through the Kickstart Scheme with over 263,000 jobs approved for funding by the Scheme. Between 23/06/2021 and 22/07/2021 an average of almost 600 young people started a Kickstart job each working day. We are currently unable to provide data on the number of approved jobs by location, as at that stage in the process we do not hold information about the exact location of a job, only the head office of the employer. Below are tables listing the number of Kickstart jobs which have been made available and started by young people to date by geographical area of Great Britain and work sector. The figures used are correct as of the 21st July and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards. Although care is taken when processing and analysing Kickstart applications, referrals and starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, which has been developed quickly. The management information presented here has not been subjected to the usual standard of quality assurance associated with official statistics, but is provided in the interests of transparency. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information available for the programme. LocationJobs Made AvailableTotal Jobs StartedEast Midlands10,2003,000East of England12,2003,500London30,40011,110North East6,0002,400North West20,2006,300Scotland11,2004,400South East18,1005,400South West11,6003,400Wales8,9002,600West Midlands14,4004,400Yorkshire and The Humber11,9003,700*These numbers are rounded and so may not match provided totals. Figures provided include jobs created but not funded by the scheme.SectorJobs Made AvailableTotal Jobs StartedAdministration38,80012,900Animal Care700400Beauty & Wellbeing1,100400Business & Finance5,7001,800Computing, Technology & Digital11,4004,600Construction & Trades4,9001,700Creative & Media11,8005,100Delivery & Storage4,8001,500Emergency & Uniform Services300100Engineering & Maintenance5,4001,500Environment & Land2,9001,000Government Services600100Healthcare4,6001,200Home Services1,200200Hospitality & Food15,4003,600Law & Legal300200Managerial1,000300Manufacturing3,7001,400Retail & Sales23,6008,000Science & Research700200Social Care3,900800Sports & Leisure3,8001,100Teaching & Education7,7001,800Transport600100Travel & Tourism500200* These numbers are rounded and so may not match provided totals. Figures provided include jobs created but not funded by the scheme.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Nappies

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their life cycle assessment of disposable and washable absorbent hygiene products will consider the results of the YouGov survey, published on 2 July, which found that the average age for potty training has increased from 2.5 to 3.5 years old.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the rising age at which children are being fully toilet trained, and (2) the link between this rising age and the increased use of single-use pull-up nappies.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The independent analysts carrying out the environmental assessment of disposable and reusable absorbent hygiene products have taken into consideration the recent YouGov survey to establish current ages for potty training. The sources of the information used in the study, as well as an explanation of the methodology and assumptions made, will be included in the final report which will be published later this year following peer review.

Nappies: Waste Disposal

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to reduce single-use nappy waste as far as possible by 2042, under the 25 Year Environment Plan.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to encouragelocal authorities to reduce the tonnage of single-use nappies going to (1) landfill, and (2) incineration.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In line with the 25 Year Environment Plan, and our Resources and Waste Strategy, we are considering the best approach to minimise the environmental impact of a range of products, including nappies, taking on board the environmental and social impacts of the options available. Potential additional policy measures include standards, consumer information and encouraging voluntary action by business. We are seeking powers, through the Environment Bill, that will enable us to, where appropriate and subject to consultation, introduce ecodesign and consumer information requirements. This could include labelling schemes that provide accurate information to consumers, to drive the market towards more sustainable products. We are also seeking powers through the Bill to enable us to put in place extended producer responsibility schemes, where required, that relate to the efficient use of resources for a wide range of products, which could include nappies. We are also funding an environmental assessment of disposable and washable absorbent hygiene products with the primary focus on nappies. This is looking at the waste and energy impacts of washable and disposable products, disposal to landfill or incineration, and recycling options. The research will be published later this year, following peer review, and will help inform possible future action on nappies by the Government and industry, including any work with local authorities.

Rivers: Pollution

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many times since 1 January 2010 (a) the Environment Agency, or (b) any other government agency, was alerted of a possible breach in licensing conditions for water abstraction or discharge in chalk rivers and streams within (i) the Itchen, and (ii) other chalk stream catchments, (2) the dates and locations of such possible breaches, (3) what tests were conducted in response, (4) what the results were of any such tests, and (5) what steps were taken as a result of any breaches to licensing conditions that were identified (a) to penalise the perpetrators, and (b) deter further breaches.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

Farms: Tenants

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Benyon on 29 June (HL1134), what plans they have to ensure thatthose with farm business tenancies will not be excluded from taking part in the long-term commitments for soil, biodiversity and landscape envisaged by the Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery elements of the Environmental Land Management Scheme where landlords are unwilling to grant consent.

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent the landlords of those on farm business tenancies from serving notice to quit on those tenants, in order to participate in the Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery elements of the Environmental Land Management Scheme.

Lord Benyon: We are engaging with a wide range of farmers and land managers to inform the development of our Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes, including tenant farmers and landlords. We want to ensure that the schemes are designed in a way that works for all, so all farmers and land managers can be supported to maximise the delivery of environmental outcomes while ensuring effective use of public money. The Government is aware that a key concern for many tenant farmers is receiving payments for environmental benefits despite not owning the land. Our future schemes will put farmers, foresters and other land managers more in control of how they use their assets in order to deliver environmental outcomes. For the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Local Nature Recovery schemes we envisage that payments will be made to the person delivering the outcomes of the schemes. In Landscape Recovery we are exploring the role of bespoke agreements and payment approaches and tenancies will be considered as part of this. Evidence shows that many landlords and tenants work together to find solutions to entering agri-environment schemes. To encourage this further the Tenancy Reform Industry Group have updated their best practice guide on how tenants and landlords can work together to deliver environmental schemes successfully. This includes encouraging a culture change within the sector to look at the opportunities that longer-term agreements offer in delivering productivity and environmental improvements which both landlords and tenants can benefit from. We look forward to engaging further with stakeholders including tenant farmers and landlords as we develop the design of the three schemes.

Public Footpaths and Rights of Way

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will be extending the time to register historic footpaths and rights of way beyond 1 January 2026 to reflect the interruption in this work due to (1) Brexit, and (2) the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Benyon: Deferring the 2026 cut-off date for registration of historic rights of way is a possibility, which would create more time for the reforms to rights of way legislation to be implemented effectively. However, we must weigh this against the desire for certainty around where rights of way exist, which implementing the cut-off date will bring. Officials will continue to keep this under review in consultation with the Stakeholder Working Group.

Home Office

Batley Grammar School: Harassment

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) they, or (2) the police, are paying for the protection of theBatley Grammar School teacher who has received threats on his life; if so, what is the cost of that protection; and if not, what steps they are taking to ensure his safety.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threats to the Batley Grammar School teacher; and what steps they are taking to support the policeto pursue those making such threats.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: It would not be appropriate to provide information or details in relation to a specific case.

Visas: Arts

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to conclude a bespoke visa waiver agreement with the EU for the creative sector.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: UK citizens going to the EU for shorts stays and EU, EEA and Swiss citizens visiting the UK are already visa free. Musicians and performers can already undertake short-term touring without visas and permits in at least 18 Member States.EU visa waiver agreements are also subject to the provisions of Article 6 (3) of REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL which sets out an individual Member State may still decide to require a visa for short stays for people carrying out a paid activity during their stay.The EU’s draft text for the Trade and Cooperation Agreement included a visa waiver agreement, which would have prohibited the parties from introducing visa requirement on visitors from the other party unless those visitors were carrying out a paid activity (i.e. service supply or performance) during their stay. In the event they were carrying out a paid activity individual Member States could apply a visa requirement to this category of service suppliers. The ability of the UK to apply visas would have been restricted only to reciprocating by applying a visa requirement to the same category supplier for the individual member state.The EU’s proposal would also have prevented the UK from introducing or maintaining visit visas on any future EU Member State, not just on existing ones. In effect handing to the European Union the ability to make a country a non-visa national for travel to the UK without the consent or approval of the UK.The Government is now focusing on bilateral engagement with Member States to encourage them to more closely align with the UK's generous regime.

Nationality and Borders Bill

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a child rights impact assessmentwas carried out for the Nationality and Borders Bill; and if it was, whether it will be published.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: This Government has a strong track record of helping child asylum seekers. In the year ending March 2021, we granted protection or other leave to over 2,333 vulnerable children, and over 46,000 since 2010.Through the Nationality and Borders Bill, we will strengthen our ability to help those who need our help, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it.

Racial Violence: Blackburn

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many racially motivated attacks there have been in the Whalley Range area of Blackburn in the last five years; and how many of these wereagainst white people.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office publishes information on the number hate crime offences recorded by the police by monitored strand, including racial hate crime, in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level. The latest data, including figures for Lancashire, are available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2019-to-2020The hate crime collection was expanded on April 2021 to include information on the ethnicity of racially motivated offences. These data will be published in due course.Hate Crime Report 2019-20 (pdf, 877.2KB)

British Nationality: Hong Kong

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to grant British citizenshipto British-Hong Kong Servicemen and their families.

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government when a decision will be made about granting British-Hong Kong Servicemen and families British citizenship.

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the reason for delaying the decision about granting British-Hong Kong Servicemen and families British citizenship.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The government remains extremely grateful to those who served in the Hong Kong Military Service Corps.Under the British Nationality Selection Scheme, introduced in 1990 and run until 1 July 1997, a limited number of Hong Kong Military Service Corps personnel who were settled in Hong Kong could apply to register as British citizens.We give careful consideration to representations made on behalf of those former Hong Kong Military Service Corps personnel.Hong Kong Military Service Corps personnel who hold British National (Overseas) status, or are an immediate family member of someone who holds this status, may be eligible for the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route which was launched on 31 January 2021.

Windrush Cross-government Working Group

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group on implementing the Migrants' Commissioner role; and what progress they have made on this issue.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office has tasked a sub-group of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group (WWG) to independently advise the Home Secretary on what the Migrants’ Commissioner role should look like, including who and what it should cover, and the best model for delivering it.The Sub-group will make their recommendations for the Home Secretary’s consideration prior to Wendy Williams’ return to inspect the Department’s progress in September.

Northern Ireland Office

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 14 July (HC Deb, cols 389–91) on prosecutions relating to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, what assessment they have made of the implications of their proposals for (1) Operation Kenova, and (2) any referrals for prosecution to the Public Prosecution Service arising from its investigations.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government recognises the positive achievements of Operation Kenova in terms of building relationships with victims and survivors, and helping them to understand the circumstances around what happened to their loved ones. However, it is clear that with the passage of time, the chances of successful prosecution from even the most robust of investigations is vanishingly small. That is why, as outlined in the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s oral statement of 14 July and in the command paper published afterwards, the Government wants to move away from a focus on criminal justice outcomes - which is delivering for nobody - and instead focus on effective information recovery and reconciliation measures. The Government’s proposals are intended to inform ongoing intensive engagement with the Irish Government, Northern Ireland parties and other stakeholders with an interest in this issue. All elements of these proposals - including their practical application - are subject to ongoing consideration and discussion.

Treasury

Private Rented Housing: Income Tax

Lord Carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people declaring an income from letting property pay the (1) additional, (2) higher, and (3) standard, rates of income tax for the most recent period for which the data is available.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: In 2019/20, the numbers of individuals declaring income via Self-Assessment from letting property and falling into each of the (1) additional, (2) higher, and (3) standard income tax bands that the question refers to, rounded to the nearest thousand, are: Marginal tax rateNumber of individualsAdditional higher rate (45%)106,000Higher rate (40%)560,000Basic rate (20%)1,519,000 It should also be noted that:- Taxpayers in Scotland will not pay the tax rates referred to in the question as they are subject to a separate income tax regime, and are therefore excluded from the figures above.- Not all individuals with property income are required to declare it. For example, those with income below the £1,000 property allowance are not required to tell HMRC.- Some individuals with property income between £1,000 to £2,500 will declare this via PAYE rather than Self-Assessment. These individuals are not included here.- Some individuals will not fall into any of the tax bands referred to in the question as their income will be within their personal allowance. During the pandemic, the Government has put in place a substantial financial package, backed up by billions of pounds, which is supporting renters to sustain tenancies and to afford their housing costs. The Government is supporting landlords by providing tenants with extensive financial assistance to continue paying rent.  The Government will also be bringing in a Better Deal for Renters designed to help the rental market work better for both tenants and landlords; a White Paper detailing this reform package will be brought forward in due course.

Investment Income: Holiday Accommodation

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals in eachlocal authority declared income from furnished holiday lettings on their Self-Assessment tax returns in the latest year for which data is available.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The numbers of individuals in each local authority that declared income from furnished holiday lettings via their self-assessment tax returns in 2019-20, rounded to the nearest 10 are provided in the attached table.It should also be noted that: - Not all individuals with property income are required to declare it. For example, those with income below the £1,000 property allowance are not required to tell HMRC.- Some individuals with property income between £1,000 to £2,500 will declare this via PAYE rather than self-assessment. These individuals are not included here. In March, the Government announced that it will legislate to change the criteria determining whether a holiday let is valued for business rates to account for the number of days it was let. This will ensure that owners of properties cannot reduce their tax liability by declaring that a property is available for let while making little or no actual effort to do so. Further details of the change and implementation will be included in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) response to the consultation on the business rates treatment of self-catering accommodation which will be published shortly.Self-Assessment tax returns for individuals (docx, 33.1KB)

Investment Income: Property

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals in each local authority declared income from property, excluding furnished holiday lettings, on their Self-Assessment tax returns in the latest year for which data is available.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The numbers of individuals in each local authority that declared income from property excluding furnished holiday lettings via their Self-Assessment tax returns in 2019-20 are provided in the attached table, rounded to the nearest 10.It should also be noted that: Not all individuals with property income are required to declare it. For example, those with income below the £1,000 property allowance are not required to tell HMRC.Some individuals with property income between £1,000 to £2,500 will declare this via PAYE rather than Self-Assessment. These individuals are not included in this data. In March, the Government announced that it will legislate to change the criteria determining whether a holiday let is valued for business rates to account for the number of days it was let. This will ensure that owners of properties cannot reduce their tax liability by declaring that a property is available for let while making little or no actual effort to do so. Further details of the change and implementation will be included in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) response to the consultation on the business rates treatment of self-catering accommodation which will be published shortly.Self-Assessment tax returns 2019-20 (doc, 301.5KB)

Mortgages: Private Rented Housing

Lord Carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether buy-to-let mortgage holidays constitute a deferred payment which has to be repaid to lenders.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Mortgage holidays have provided support for borrowers to manage their finances during a period of uncertainty. Borrowers accessing payment holidays, including buy-to-let mortgage consumers, will still need to repay the full balance of their loan, and will continue to accrue interest during the payment holiday, unless the lender has indicated otherwise. There are various options for managing this, for example, by increasing their remaining monthly payments, or by adding an extension to the term. Borrowers should talk to their lender to understand the options they offer.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Media: Children

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regulations on social media companies, including mandatory design standards, to increase online safety for services that are used by children.

Baroness Barran: The draft Online Safety Bill, published in May 2021, will ensure companies design their platforms to be safer for users, and particularly for children. The new laws will apply to companies that allow users to post content online or to interact with each other, which includes social media companies. The draft bill will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny in this session. The Joint Committee that will scrutinise the draft Bill has now been set up, and members from both Houses have now been appointed.The strongest protections in the legislation are for children. Unless social media companies are able to prove that children are not accessing their service, they will need to conduct a child safety risk assessment and provide safety measures for child users, keeping these under regular review. As part of the risk assessment, companies will need to assess how the design and operation of the service may increase or reduce the risks identified.The government has also published voluntary Safety by Design guidance in June 2021 that will help companies design safer online services. In addition, the Information Commissioner’s Age Appropriate Design Code, which will come into force in September 2021, will set out specific protections for children’s personal data that companies will need to build in when designing online services likely to be accessed by children.

Arts: Finance

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to agree an emergencycompensation package with the creative sector.

Baroness Barran: The Government recognises the significant challenges that the pandemic has created for our creative industries and our support to the sector has been unwavering throughout. We know the move to Step 4 will come as welcome news to our creative sectors but we also recognise that many organisations are still in need of emergency support. This is why we recently announced the final £300 million of the Government’s £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) in late June. In particular, portals are currently open for the Emergency Resource Support element of this round, which will provide further support for organisations in need of urgent funding as the cultural, heritage and creative sectors move towards reopening at full capacity. This extra support is on top of the £1.2 billion that has already been awarded to over 5,000 individual organisations and sites in previous rounds of the CRF. Throughout the pandemic, we have introduced an unprecedented package of pan-economy support including generous employment schemes, grants, loans, a reduction in VAT and business rate relief, in addition to other sector specific support such as the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme. Our Plan For Jobs has also supported jobs and businesses with over £400 billion of economic support – one of the most generous and comprehensive packages in the world.

Football: Safety

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority regarding the requirement for a form of rail seating on spectator behaviour in the next football season; and when they will report on the requirement to move to the full rail seating required for safe standing.

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the basis for requiring parts of sports stands to have a form of rail seating to improve safe standing and other adjoining seats, in the same seating area, not to be included.

Baroness Barran: The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) has already set out the technical requirements needed for seats with barriers or independent barriers in the current (6th) edition of its Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide). Additionally, the SGSA’s current all-seater policy enforcement approach details, amongst other things, how to identify risks to spectator safety arising from persistent standing in seated areas, and potential mitigation for such risks. It is for a football club to decide, in consultation with the relevant local authority and other partners, which parts of its ground would benefit from seats with barriers or seats with independent barriers to address the identified risks to spectator safety.